JUNE 2026

You know I am always on the hunt for the best gardens. I love doing garden trips to the UK and France, but somehow have not visited many gardens in the Netherlands. I have recently gotten a Museum card, which gives free access to many museums in the Netherland. Surprisingly it also gives access to some castles and gardens, so I had to make use of that feature. For Mother’s day I brought a visit to the castle and gardens of Paleis het Loo, which used to belong to the Dutch royal family. Paleis het Loo is famous for it’s structured gardens and in this blogpost I will take you along.

Practical information

Paleis het Loo is located in Apeldoorn. It is accessible with the Museum card, or you can book your tickets online. A regular ticket costs € 21 per adult and gives access to the castle and the gardens. Some parts of the domaine are free to visit; you can wander the grounds and visit the carriage house. However if you want to see the structured gardens, you have to pass through the castle and need a ticket. We visited on Mother’s day and I expected it to be very busy, but this wasn’t the case. There definitely were people but it never felt crowded. The paid parking is quite large and located next to the entrance. Paleis het Loo has several options for food. We had lunch at the balzaal and this was really good. It is possible to have a high tea as well, please check the official website.

Paleis het Loo with kids

Surprisingly, Paleis het Loo is a very good visit with kids. During school holidays the museum organizes extra activities for the kids. When we visited they arranged a relaxing garden with activities such as archery, some balancing and ball games. You can also make a (free) reservation for the Juniorpaleis, which is a sort of playroom where the kids can organize a party. The garden features very festive fountains, which are also great for kids to discover. Hugo fell in love with the “earth fountain”. The carriage house features some old cars, so if you have a kid who is car-obsessed, don’t skip it.

If you are visiting with younger kids and are bringing a stroller, this can be quite a hassle. The entrance to the palace has a modern entranceway with lots of little stairs and you have to wait for the elevator each time. The castle itself also is not very easy to visit with a stroller, but that is to be expected. If possible make sure to bring a carrier instead of a stroller.

Paleis het Loo gardens

The showpiece of Paleis het Loo are the gardens. A few years ago the gardens have been newly designed, so some plants are still young. The gardens are in a classical French baroque style, you do not see this very often in the Netherlands. The buxus plants provide the structure for the garden, while the borders have seasonal flowers. We just caught the tail end of the tulips and the start of the roses. I am sure it would be lovely to go back in summer, to see other plants popping up. We took about two hours to explore the structured gardens and admire the many fountains. I did not expect a garden like this in the Netherlands and was very enthusiastic! Of course pictures say more than words, so I hope you enjoy my pictures.

Paleis het Loo castle

Of course you can also visit the castle itself. The part that you can visit is not super big, but it features some beautifully decorated rooms. Unfortunately the staircase was being renovated, I am sure it is super stunning once it’s finished. Dutch are more frugal than the French and you can really see this in the castle. The ceiling paintings are less exuberant and often in 2D. Several kings and queens have lived in the castle, apparently even Napoleon stayed here. In 1984 the castle was turned into a museum and opened to the public.

Also check out my blog on the best castles in Europe.